As part of its rebranding strategy that includes the addition of more reality-focused programming, the Game Show Network, now known as just GSN, has announced that it has acquired the rebroadcast rights to the first three editions of ABC's The Mole reality series.
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The Mole episodes will air weekly on Tuesdays at 10 PM ET/PT beginning on March 16th with the first episode of 2003's six-episode Celebrity Mole: Hawaii third edition of the series. Featuring minor celebrities Kathy Griffin, Corbin Bernsen, Stephen Baldwin, Michael Boatman, Kim Coles, Frederique Van Der Wal, and Erik von Detten, the series was hosted by Ahmad Rashad.
Following Celebrity Mole's broadcast, full runs of the program's prior "civilian" editions of the program will follow, starting with 2001 original nine-episode edition of the series. Hosted by current CNN newsman Anderson Cooper, the series was won by Denver undercover police officer Steven Cowles, who took home $510,000 of the show's possible maximum $1,000,000 prize.
After the original series' run, the thirteen-episode The Mole II: The Next Betrayal -- which premiered in Fall 2001 but was quickly pulled off the airwaves only to return to strong ratings in Summer 2002 -- will follow. Also hosted by Cooper, the second edition's $636,000 jackpot was won by New York City musician and Ivy League graduate Dorothy Hui.
GSN, the Network for Games, is the only U.S. television network dedicated to game-related programming and interactive game playing. The network features game shows, reality series, documentaries, video game programs and casino games.
As the industry leader in interactivity, GSN features 84 hours per week of interactive programming, which allows viewers a chance to win prizes by playing along with GSN's televised games via gsn.com. Reaching 54 million Nielsen homes, GSN is distributed in the U.S. through all major cable systems and satellite providers. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation.
